November 30, 2024
Thanksgiving is a season of gratitude, reflection, and shared traditions, and our teachers have found creative ways to bring these themes to life in their classrooms. From storytelling and art projects in PreK to exploring food chemistry in high school, students across all grades have been connecting with the holiday spirit while honing their skills and expanding their understanding. Here’s a glimpse into how our educators make Thanksgiving memorable this year.
PreK-2: Gratitude and Friendsgiving Fun
During November, PreK-2 students delved into Thanksgiving’s spirit through activities combining learning and joy. They explored traditional Thanksgiving foods in class and even used math skills to graph their favorite and least liked dishes. They also learned to use their writing skills to create a list of people and things they were grateful for, including parents, pets, and toys.
The celebration culminated in a “Friendsgiving,” where all three PreK-2 classes came together to make turkey puppets and bond with their peers. Ms. Jen, our Director of Lower School, added a special touch by reading a story about thankfulness to each Early Learning Program (ELP) class. Students then created a gratitude chain, linking paper links with pictures of things each of them was thankful for. This heartwarming display is now visible in the ELP atrium to show how gratitude connects us all!
Grade 3: Turkey and Budgets
Third graders tackled Thanksgiving with a mix of creativity and practical skills. In math class, they explored geometric patterns while designing intricate turkey feathers, from which they learned about the similarities and differences between shapes like parallelograms, rhombuses, and trapezoids.
Students also had a taste of real-world problem-solving by planning a Thanksgiving dinner. With a budget of $50–$60, they selected main courses, side dishes, desserts, and beverages for a feast for eight people. This activity was an excellent way for students to practice their adding and subtracting skills while learning how to make thoughtful, budget-conscious decisions—a lesson that will be useful beyond the classroom.
Middle School: Holiday Tunes and Teamwork
In middle school music classes, students prepare to spread holiday cheer with their first concert of the year. Grade 6 students have been building their instrumental skills by learning festive music and are excited to showcase their progress to parents and peers.
Meanwhile, Grades 7 and 8 elective bands, comprising more experienced musicians, have taken their holiday repertoire to the next level. Not only did they choose some of the songs they were going to perform, but they also started practicing after Trunk or Treat (one of our Halloween traditions before October 31) and made significant progress. We can’t wait to watch the results of their heartfelt commitment and growing understanding of music and teamwork! The upcoming concerts are sure to be a highlight of the season.
Mark Your Calendars!
Monday, December 16: Grades 7–8 and High School Rock Bands
Tuesday, December 17th: Grades 5 & 6 Performances
Grade 10: Chemistry of Thanksgiving Favorites
Honors Chemistry students took a lighthearted approach to Thanksgiving this year by exploring the science behind favorite holiday foods. After watching a video that delved into questions like why muffins rise without yeast and how turkey timers work, students turned to hands-on learning. Using Thanksgiving-themed food items, they constructed molecular models of compounds like tryptophan, amylose, and amylopectin.
Meanwhile, in the AP Chemistry class, students became detectives in a Thanksgiving-themed experiment called Easy as Pie. Through a series of mini-experiments on evidence found in the kitchen, they worked to solve the mystery of who stole Mom’s pie! These creative, hands-on projects offered a fun and interactive way to connect chemistry with everyday life and holiday traditions.
Through these engaging and creative lessons, our teachers have inspired students to connect with the spirit of Thanksgiving while practicing gratitude, teamwork, and curiosity. From colorful crafts to musical performances and molecular models, these activities highlight the many ways our school celebrates learning and community during this special time of year.
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
